In This Special Place | Spring 2015

You are a very different church from the one I found two years ago--more skillful, more friendly, more focused, more conscious of the sacred purpose for which this congregation exists. Never forget, this is a Special Place--one of joy, possibility and hope. ~ Steven Mead

A Year in Review | At-A-Glance

What a lovely year for religious education here at UUCY! We built upon the many gains from last year, bringing them forward into this year and putting a little polish on it all. Most significant for this year was the implementation of adult thematic worship and its companion small group ministry partner, SoulFire! Both should serve this congregation well in its yearning for deeper spiritual engagement and building intimacy in a large church setting.

What has happened?

Emerson Room makeover

Martha Holmes Room makeover

Added a multimedia suite to the Susan B Anthony room

Implemented online RE registration process

Installed Carriage House 2nd floor fire escapes

Formed our DRE Search committee and created LRED search website

Formed and rehearsed the January Children's Chalice Chorale

Implemented SoulFire thematic church

What is happening still?

Complying with new PA child abuse protection law

Coordinating an Earth Loom project seasonally

Preparing the way for UUCY Peacemakers July summer camp

What is yet to be done?

Implementing a vaccine policy

Conducting parent and teacher year-end surveys

Welcoming and orienting your new Lifespan Director of Religious Education

Continuing to strengthen the connection between our children and youth religious education program and the adult congregation

I don't know what the future may hold, but I know who holds the future.~ Ralph Abernathy

Program Metrics

Registration. Registration compares favorably to where we picked up from last year. 81 children and youth are registered this year. 80 children and youth remains a low figure for a congregation of this size (100+ is more normal)

Attendance. Attendance has been very consistent all year long at 40 per Sunday (50% of registered participants is a healthy figure; 65% is outstanding)

Intermittence. This has improved somewhat over last year. Intermittence is how many Sundays an individual comes during a month. Very consistent attendance by our 7th-8th graders participating in the Our Whole Lives Human Sexuality course has helped this metric

Technical Changes | Highlights

Adaptive Changes | Highlights

Technical change addresses problems for which a solution is known. By comparison to adaptive change, these are usually more easily implemented. In the last two years, here are highlights:

Adaptive change addresses problems for which a solution is not known. Adaptive change involves changing more than routine behaviors or preferences; it involves changes in people’s hearts and minds. Because the change can be profound, adaptive change can result in congregational transformation. The following initiatives have already had a profound impact:

Integrating religious education into the life of our congregation (in worship; the play--Tailor of Gloucester, Chalice Chorale, Social Service Sundays, etc.)

Helping UUCY reorient to a future-focused, mission-driven congregation of joy, possibility, and hope

Demonstrating staff accountability and support of church leadership and mission and vision

Our New Lifespan Religious Education Director | What's Next?

"How we teach and learn has very little to do with content and everything to do with how we live out our principles in community to develop generations of ethical Unitarian Universalists to follow us. The intersection of learning, worship, seeking justice, being in right relationship, building loving community across age and other barriers, working to be inclusive, and put an end to oppression--this is the core of congregational life. This is the faith community educating religiously. ~ Cindy Leitner, Religious Educator